According to the Dogs Trust, there are around 1,600 dogs in their care at any one time. Even though most dogs find a loving new home within six weeks, some need a little bit of extra TLC from those at the charity.
Since 2018, we have sponsored a guide dog called Farah, and as of 2023, we have started sponsoring a new guide dog (also called Farah).
Both are labradors and have been with the charity since they were puppies. It takes around 20 weeks for them to complete their basic training, and then they must complete further training before meeting their new owner and home.
You can sponsor a dog for as little as £1 a week (or £4.34 a month), which is almost the same as the cost of an average pint of beer in 2023 (and certainly less than your Amazon Prime/Netflix subscription each month).
Our sponsorship money helps to cover the cost of:
All of this combines to help each dog in care to find a loving home.
Sponsoring an animal helps to ensure they receive the best care possible, and promotes the long-term, sustainable growth of the charity.
Guide dogs are a special type of assistance dog. They are working animals that are specifically trained to help people with visual impairments (ranging from blindness to low vision).
Guide dogs are trained to help support their owners (also known as handlers) by providing safe travel around their community, helping them to navigate through different places, and become more independent.
Guide dogs are taught to:
In addition, guide dogs are a constant source of companionship, and can be a vital solution for loneliness and depression. These highly-trained animals have a good temperament, and are perfectly suited for people of all ages, ranging from young children to senior citizens.